Minister of State for IT Shaza Fatima said the world’s largest undersea cable has arrived in Pakistan and hopes are high that internet problems will be resolved soon.
The Senate session, chaired by Vice President Syedal Khan, began with Senator Mohammad Aslam Abro addressing the issue.
He mentioned that the ministry had said that the internet problem was technical and although the world had reached the moon, Pakistan was not able to solve this problem in a year. He suggested the issue of internet disruptions be referred to a committee.
State Minister for IT Shaza Fatima said PTA (Pakistan Telecommunication Authority) oversees internet speeds and in the last two years it has doubled its frequency capacity. She mentioned that information technology exports increased by 33% in the last five months, making it the only industry with a trade surplus. Additionally, the number of internet users in Pakistan has increased by 25%.
She explained that most of the problems occurred with mobile broadband and that they are dealing with internet-related companies. Pasha (Pakistan Software Houses Association) mentioned that three companies are working across Pakistan on 274 MHz spectrum.
There are eight submarine cables, one of which has reached its useful life, and the world’s largest submarine cable has now reached Pakistan. She said she was optimistic that the Internet problem would soon be resolved.
Senator Anusha Rehman pointed out that mobile phone companies have been acquiring 274 MHz spectrum over the last 30 years. She questions the usefulness of imposing restrictions on the use of data. She asked whether consultations had taken place regarding the new spectrum, including whether it would encourage investment and the government’s plan to impose restrictions.
Shaza Fatima responded that the development of the mobile sector has not been as significant in the last two or three years. She mentioned that the PTA had hired U.S.-based consultants and noted that things were changing globally. She noted that spectrum is no longer considered a revenue-raising tool in some countries; some even offer it for free. They are waiting for the consultants’ report.
Senator Zeeshan Khanzada noted that the country’s political instability was the root cause of these problems. As IT exports increase, he questioned whether the ten billion dollar IT export growth target was still achievable.
Shaza Fatima responded by requesting documents proving that the IT export target reached ten billion dollars. She mentioned that housing societies had benefited from the STZA (Special Technology Zones Authority) in a way that made it a real estate company, deviating from its original intention.
Senator Quratulain Mari raised concerns about the lack of childcare at airports. Azam Nazir Tarar responded that he had asked day care centers to be operational at airports as soon as possible. He added that similar facilities would also be implemented in big bars.
Previously, in a bid to address recent internet disruptions, the government launched the Africa-2 Cable project, a cutting-edge initiative designed to improve internet infrastructure and data transmission across the country.
The Africa-2 cable project is the largest submarine network in the world, spanning 45,000 kilometers. Spanning 33 countries, it integrates 46 landing stations around the world, marking a major milestone for international Internet infrastructure.
A few weeks ago, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari warned that Pakistan’s digital space was under threat and urged young people to engage in “democratic and peaceful resistance” to secure digital rights, including high-speed internet .
Sharmila Farooqi also expressed frustration at a meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Information Technology, accusing the government of failing to address persistent internet disruptions.
The meeting, chaired by Federal Minister for IT Syed Aminul Haque, focused on the issues of slow internet. Farooqi slammed Minister of State for IT Shaza Fatima for her responses, questioning the government’s claims about improving internet services.
Earlier, billionaire Elon Musk confirmed that Starlink had applied for permission to launch internet services in Pakistan and was currently awaiting government approval.
Musk’s confirmation follows a post from Pakistani internet user Sanam Jamali, who expressed hope that Starlink could help propel Pakistan toward a more connected future.
In a follow-up post, Jamali claimed that Pakistan had approved Starlink’s entry and urged Musk to accelerate the launch, highlighting the potential benefits of providing millions of people with better connectivity, better education and better opportunities.
